"The Compiz and Beryl teams are discussing a merger. Posts on the Compiz forum and Beryl mailing list indicate that the projects are discussing how to execute a merger and work together to deliver a single compositing window manager to give 'bling' to the Linux desktop."

The difference with hardware for Mac is that Mac users know where to buy hardware for Mac, but Linux users don't. Sites reviewing hardware and testing it on several popular Linux distros, and online stores selling Linux-ready hardware, would be very useful for end users. Maybe even a "Linux ready" branding or certification would be good for both Linux and hardware manufacturers. So if something works out of the box on Linux, anybody could find it easily. I'm aware that some distros provide a list of compatible hardware, but those are usually incomplete. There is a lot of work to be made in this area.